Yet Another High-Class Restaurant-Lounge Opening Downtown

Artist Rendering Courtesy of Union Restaurant & Lounge

Even more restaurant news is coming down the wire -- earlier today, we checked out some early reports on Bond St in Beverly Hills, and now we hear that developers The Valencia Group will be transforming Downtown's historic Union Bank building into The Union Restaurant & Lounge (it's all about the restaurant-slash-lounge concept nowadays, isn't it?). So, yes, Downtown will have another fancy-schmancy dining space; the website is promising "2 Floors of Entertainment, Upscale Dinning [sic] and Cocktail Bar, The Vault Lounge & Bar."

The picture above is an artist's representation of what the new restaurant might look like -- the designers seem to be taking full advantage of the building's Art Deco details. More from their press release: "Creating the menu and leading the kitchen staff for The Union is Master Chef Jeffrey Nimer, who has worked at top restaurants, including Yuca, the Blue Door and Mark's Place in Miami, and he opened Lavande at Loews in Santa Monica. Nimer will also bring his experience preparing eclectic dishes for entertainment industry mogul David Geffen's private parties to preparing special event menus. Bar Manager Andrew "the Alchemist" Willett will create a bar menu filled with signature cocktails. "

Well, jeez! If it's good enough for David Geffen...here's hoping Downtown can profit from yet another highly glossed expense-account establishment. The press release promises a "Spring/Summer 2008!!!!" opening, but given the timetable of most new restaurants in this town, we're betting on Fall/Winter 2008.